Evan Schuman's StorefrontBacktalk

First Data Corp. has broken ranks with Visa (NYSE:V) and banks in the escalating interchange war. The card-processing giant formally objected to the $7.25 interchange settlement last Friday (May 24), saying the fact that it accepted credit cards in its cafeteria would make it a “merchant” under

the settlement and prevent First Data from protecting itself against unfair dealings by the card brands. Bottom line: First Data wants the settlement changed, which could open the door to the whole deal unraveling.

Also on Friday, Visa and MasterCard (NYSE:MA) sued a group of merchants and trade groups who have opted out of the settlement—but that’s less impressive than it looks. The card brands’ suit is a mirror image of the lawsuit that Target (NYSE:TGT) and 16 other retail chains filed last Thursday (May 23), which claimed the card brands’ entire rule structure violates antitrust laws. The card brands are asking a court to declare that its rules don’t violate antitrust laws.

If that seems like a lot more action than the interchange settlement has seen in the past year, it is. It may also signal the collapse of the settlement itself, now that parties on both sides of the settlement have launched new lawsuits just days before the deadline for merchants to opt out of the settlement.

The dueling Visa/MC and Target-led lawsuits reopen an issue that’s at the core of the string of interchange lawsuits that the settlement is intended to end: Is the way the card brands do business illegal? If it is, then the settlement is unfair at its core, because it grants Visa and MasterCard amnesty to keep breaking the law.

But if the card brands’ rules aren’t breaking antitrust law, the settlement could move forward—though probably not on its current schedule, which calls for things to be wrapped up with a “fairness hearing” on Sept. 12.

Just to be clear about Visa and MasterCard suing all those retailers and trade groups: It’s not what you usually think of as a lawsuit. The card brands aren’t claiming they’ve been harmed by the retailers. Instead, these retailers have opted out and also threatened to sue the card brands—but haven’t yet. The card brands are suing for a “declaratory judgment,” which asks a court to force the issue by proceeding as if the retailers already have filed a lawsuit about these antitrust issues.

In addition, Target, Macy’s (NYSE:M), TJX (NYSE:TJX), Kohl’s (NYSE:KSS), Staples (NASDAQ:SPLS), JCPenney (NYSE:JCP), Office Depot (NYSE:ODP), L Brands (NYSE:LTD), OfficeMax (NYSE:OMX), Big Lots (NYSE:BIG), Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE:ANF), Ascena Retail Group (NASDAQ:ASNA), Saks (NYSE:SKS), The Bon-Ton Stores (NASDAQ:BONT), Chico’s (NYSE:CHS), Luxottica (NYSE:LUX) and American Signature Furniture actually have filed an antitrust lawsuit against the card brands. Walmart (NYSE:WMT) and 18 other chains have threatened their own antitrust lawsuit. Merging all those antitrust claims and counterclaims will be the first order of business for whatever judges end up with this mess.

But all that is probably not as big a deal as First Data’s defection from the cards/banks/processors ranks. Technically, First Data isn’t opting out of the settlement as a card processor—it’s opting out as a merchant, as defined by the settlement. That’s the first sign of how badly the wheels are coming off this situation.